CBD knife attacker high on cocaine and ice, a court has heard

A MOUNT CLEAR man who stabbed two men, while high on a cocktail of ice and cocaine, after a central business district brawl pleaded guilty on Monday.

Kyle Auchettl, 26, pleaded guilty to one charge of intentionally causing serious injury and one charge of intentionally causing injury after he slashed one victim's neck and stabbed another in the back.

A county court sitting in Ballarat heard at 5:00am on December 9 2012, Auchettl and his group of friends became involved in a brawl with another group, which included the two victims, close to the Lydiard Street North taxi rank.

Crown prosecutor Patrick Bourke said as the violence de-escalated one group got into a maxi taxi.

The court heard Auchettl ran past and slashed the victim's neck as he stood in the door of the maxi taxi.

Auchettl's defence lawyer described the wound as "millimeters away from disaster".

As the brawl continued Auchettl saw his friend being kicked unconscious by another man, who approached from behind and stabbed in the back.

Auchettl was captured by CCTV leaving the scene and was later caught by police with a bloodied hoodie stuffed down his trousers.

Defence lawyer Neil Hutton said the act was out of character for Auchettl, which he believed was because of the concoction of drugs he'd taken.

"He had in the past used amphetamines, but that night he had taken cocaine and smoked the ice," he said.

Mr Hutton said Auchettl was extremely lucky to not be pleading guilty to two murder charges in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Handing up a picture of the victims' injuries to Judge Paul grant, Mr Hutton said: "each of the injuries had the potential to be disastrous."

Auchettl's bail has been extended while the court adjourns for lunch, but a sentencing decision is expected today.